Politics

PDP Crisis: Wike Breaks Silence, Calls Atiku A Liar

Published

2 years ago

July 29, 2022

Editor

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has reacted to all issues that played out during and after the presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Recall that the primary election produced former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

Wike, who spoke on Friday at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State shortly after he returned from Spain, described the former Vice President as a liar.

He stated “I told my special adviser on media that I am going to speak on issues. We know in this part of our world, when lies are contorted, it becomes fact.

“I have always believed when the left speaks, allow the right to also speak. We are not getting younger and as days pass, we get older.

“So it is important when issues are raised or when speeches are made, one should be able to say this is the part of my story, so that the public knows the truth.

“It is most unfortunate since after our primary I have decided to be quiet, because it is a party I love so much. I never said anything, I decided to go back home and fulfill the promises I made to the people of Rivers State.

“But there comes a time I need to speak and let Nigerians know the actual truth. Having known the truth, whatever they decide to do with it is left for them.

“When the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar unveiled his running mate, no right thinking person and a lover of this party will say that the speech he made on that day was fair.

“Forget about his hailers, the scavengers and I never reacted to it. I said, no, this party belongs to all of us.

“Thereafter, Atiku appeared on Arise TV, see the statement he made. So many lies were told and then you said I should not react to some of those issues. That will not be fair.

“Assuming today I am not alive, obviously what he has said will be accepted as the truth. Look at his attack dogs, former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, Maina Waziri and others look at the statement they issued. Look at the abuses they rained on me, I never reacted.

“If a presidential candidate who believes he wants to win the election, and as somebody who contested fiercely with him, I never raised issues, I just kept quiet, minding my business to see how my State can move forward, yet every day his attack dogs continued to attack me”, he lamented.

The Rivers State Governor said nobody should be in doubt on whether he will speak on the issues of PDP, its candidate and other related matters.

“I will respond line by line”, he insisted.

On the reconciliation committee, which Atiku claimed to have reached out to Wike, he said: “you see when people tell lies, there is nothing they can’t do. Some Senators called me to say that Atiku Abubakar said he sent Bukola Saraki to me.

“That is not true, that is not fair and that is not correct. I was in Spain, Bukola came to me and said, my brother how do we solve this problem. I said well, were you sent by Atiku Abubakar? He said no. So what do you want me to do? Look at the issues. Bukola said the matter is so serious that he never knew.

“So Atiku has never forgotten about the scavengers. In fact, some of those around called my friends and said O boy, tell your guy now make him support us. I have been reduced to that level. I have become a guy.

“So Atiku Abubakar cannot say that he has sent anybody to me. Forget about those who are running around him trying to get what to eat saying we called Wike’s number, he didn’t pick, I don’t know your phone number and you did not send a text that it is so and so person calling, please I want to talk to you, nobody has done that. So, since the 31st of May, not one person has spoken to me.

“After commissioning of the project, I will speak. It doesn’t matter who is involved, I am not a slave and I will never be a slave, I am a free-born citizen of this country. I must be able to state how things are. Whether it suits you or not, I don’t care.”

Related Topics:2023 presidency Atiku Wike

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Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.